Spring switch and operating means therefor



Nm# 9, W26@ @QA l I A RQ. STUART SPRING lsANI'rcriAND `ommnrm MEANS THEREFQR 4 y vFim. `mgu'sx 28,: 1924 4 sheets-sheet' 1 Lg h ,sPnat'Nr SWITCH AND' OPERATING MEANS TRIM-minori" .Filed -Aug, us,1t 28; 1924 4 Smets-shew s .Patented '-Nov. p 9, 1926.

Fries.

i rREDEBIcK o. STUART, or' .'r'oLIET, IL LrNoIs.'

i SPRING SWITCH -AND OPERATING MnNs Tnnnnron.

application aie'dfaugust es, 1924. serial N, 734,710.

My invention relates to an improvement in railway track switches ofthe split type in which `th`e point or switch rails are connected to an operating stand by means of a coil spring so designed as to normally hold the switch in closed position and to automatically returnthe 'switch points to their4 normalor` closed position trailed through them. l

The primary object 'of my invention is the provision of a spring switch having locking lmeans associated therewith which lock the switch points after they have beenl opened by a pair of car wheels until after the entire train has passed through the said switch and which thereupon release the said after a train has their normally closed positions, with Suitable cushioning means to prevent the switch, I

points being thrown against the sides 'of the oo-operating rails with such force that they are broken or damaged.

This' type ot. switch is commonly -used where a double track leads into a single-4 track, the switch being normally in closed position and is opened by trains running l 4 from doubletrack onto the single track, the'j'- switclrpoints being crowded over to the" proper position by the flanges on the engine and car wheels. After the train has passed through, the spring attached to the switch points automatically returns the switch to the position. it occupied before the train passed through. Q n

The principal difficulty with this typel of switch is that immediately after the wheel runs oi of the point, the switch is thrown back to its normal position and is operatedA again by the next set ot wheels that passes through it. This continuous operation of the switch by long trains wears out the switch points and connections with great rapidity and 'makes the switch accordingly expensive to maintain and keep in repair. UThe constant vibration' and wear of the switch frequently breaks bolts'and connections so as'to render the switch unsafe for use, especially with trains running against the points or from single track to double track. to

Another and further object of niy inventionvis the provision of automatic locking means for railway switches of the spring type in which the switch points are locked in closed position and retained in such positionby electrical locking means operated by a pair of car wheels running against the said switch points and which also effectively 'lock the switch against tampering or prying open the switch points as' it might be possible to accomplish with the ordinary type f switch stands.v

Another and further object of my invention is the provision of a spring switch which is durable in service, which is not easily broken or damaged in use and which 1s simple and positive'y 1n its operation.

These and other objects 'of my invention'-A -will be more fully and better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 .is a plan view ot `my improved Iinvention switch points and vallow'them .to return to Figure 2 is a topj'view of my improved locking device partlally; in section;

tion and partially in elevation of tlie locking device shown in Figure 2;

Figure-3 1s a side view partially in sec-l Figure 4 is a longitudinalrsectional View ofthe cushioning and locking device for the switch;

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view. of the cushioning and locking cylinder on line 5 5 of Figure 4;

1.-, Figure 6 is a vertical sectionalv view of4v i `the'valve adapted to partially control the flow of liquid from one end of the cushioningand locking cylinder to the other;

Figure 7 is a modification of the connecting.- vmeans from thev locking device to the switch points; and

. Figure 8 isa wiring diagram'showing the electrical clrcuits leading to various oper-j f ating parts 'of the apparatus.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, a track comprising aA pair ofA railsy 10 and 11 are shown (Figure 1) with apair of other split rails 12 and 13 adapted to engage against the sides of the rails 1 04 and 11 in the usual manner.` The rail 13 forms a continuation of one of therails making up a main track section, and the rail 12 is one of the rails forming the beginning of a switch track section or cross-over leading from the main line, the rail 11 being curved in the usual manner to form the beginning of the other rail for the switch track`section. The usual switch stand 14 is provided, having a connecting rod 15 leading therefrom and se. cured to -a second rod 16 which extends through a loop 17 secured at each of its ends.

to a switch throw rod 18 which is connected at each'of its ends to the rails 12 and 13.

A coil spring 19 is provided is mounted inside of the loop 17 which normal- 1y exerts its force in the directionof` the switch stand 14 so as to hold the switch in normally closed position, but which alsecured to the cross ties in any approved.

manner. The cylinder 22 has a piston head 24 mounted thereon and has a plurality of ports 25, 25 therein which are lnormally closed by the valve 26 mounted upon the piston rod 21 fand held against the side of the piston head by a coil spring 27 which 'downward through the magnet core 63 andin turn is held in position by the stop 28 secured to the shaft 21by means ot a pin 29.

' In the wall ofthe cylinder 22 and extending throughout a portion of its length is a plurality of passages 30, 30, the said passages communicating with the interior of the cylinder and terminating@ short distance from v the rear end thereof so that when the piston head 24 is in its farthermost rear position,

Y zo' the edge of the piston head extends beyond the passages 30, 30. The cylinder 22 has openings' 1n the side walls thereof at each of its ends andwithin which nipples 31 and 32 are positioned in threaded engagement with the side wall of the cylinder 22, these nipples having elbows 33 and 34, respectively, to which short sections of pipe 35 and 36 are secured and to which a. valve 37 is secured. The valve 37 is of the usual check type and is controlled by a magnet 38 which is made up of an armature 39, a magnet core 40 and a magnet coil 41 with a non-magnet holding ring 42 positioned above the magnet coil 41 upon which 'the yarmature 39 rests, the said magnetic core being supported upon a member 43 in threaded-engagement with the said valve 37 to -which themagnet core 40 is secured.

' Secured to the armature 39 is apin 44 having a closure member 45 at the lower end thereof and which is adapted to operate inI connectionwith the valve seat 46 so that the bypass formed by the pipes and through the valve leadi from one'end of the cylinder to the other 1a opened and closed as will be described more fullyr hereinafter.

A second connecting bar 47 is provided which is connected to the yrails 12 and 13 atl the outer ends thereofand which has a second bar 48 secured thereto with a crank said crank being pivotally mounted by means of a pin 51 upon a plate 52 secured to or rod 53 is connectedv tothe outer end of the long arm of the. crankand has a The said locking casing 55 has a normal locking dog 56 mounted upon la pin 57 withv filler blocks 58 mounted on each sidev of thelocking dog 56 and having at the. opposite end ofI the casing 55 a reverse locking dog 59 Amounted upon a pin 60 with filler block 61 on each vside thereof, the said locking dogs being adapte-d to alternately engage in a notch 62 formed in the upper side of the bar 54. Positioned in the casing 55 is anormal locking magnet 63 which is secured to a magnet supporting frame 64 in anyl approved manner. The said magnet 63 has a magnetcoil 65 therein and a magnet armature 66 above said magnet 63 and a guide pin. 67 positioned therein and extending resting upon the locking dog 56 The lower end of the pin has an enlargedportion 68 formed therein which acts as a stop to pre.- vent the guide pin 67 from being pushed upward to such a distance that thenpagnet armature 66 will not operate whentli'e magnet is energize-d. A reverse locking magnet is provided which vis made up of a ma net` core 69, an armature 70, a magnet win ing 71, an insulating ring 72 with av guide 73 having an enlarged portion 74 and which extends down into engagement with the locking dog 59 and which is adapted to engage in the notch 62 when the switch is in open position as Willbe more fully described hereinafter.

. An alternative formot this connecting device is illustrated in Figure 7 wherein-a rack bar 74 is shown which vis connected directly to the bar 18,and engages a gear wheel 75 mounted upon any suitable foundation` 76, the said gear Wheel 75 engaging a larger gear pin 77 pivotally mounted u on a stud 7 8 and havingan arm 79 exten ing upwardly therefrom to which a pulley rod 80 is secured and which in turn is secured to the locking bar 54 leading into the locking case 55.

Referring to Figure 8 wherein is shown a Wiring diagram illustrating the operation of thezdevice, a plurality ot' main line track sections A and B are shown having a switch ltrack comprising a pair of sections X and Connected to the rail 81 is a second wire 86` which leads to a relay 87 with another Wire 88 leading therefrom and which is connected to the rail 82 so that in normal operation of the device, a complete circuit is' established a cross tie in any approved manner. A bar through the wire 84, the rail 8l, Wire 86, 13"

' "neonata through the relaycoil 87, wire 88, rail 82iand wire 83, back to the battery 85. The track 'section B is composed of a pair of rails 89 switch 99 which in turn has a wire 100 lead-V ing therefrom and'which is connected to a 'normal locking magnet 63. VA wire I101 leads from the magnet'63'to a contactJ point 102 which is adapted to co-operate with the contact'member 103 actuated by the Arelay 95 and shown in the drawing in open position, the circuit to the magnet 63 being completed through the Contact members 116 and 108 with the'wire 106.-

A second wire 106 leads from the battery '97 to a relay member 108 which is adapted to co-operate with the contact '109 havinga wire 1 10 leading therefrom and which leads to theV reverse locking, magnet 69 with wire 111 leading therefrom which is connected to the wir'e 100leading from the negative side of the battery 97. Thus a circuit is established to the reverse locking magnet 69, the circuit to thismagnet being established through the wire 111 which is connected to the lead'wire 100 and the wire 110 through the contact members 116 and 108. Connected to the wire 111 is asecond wire 112 which leads to the magnet 38 which controls a valve mounted upon the cylinder 22 with a return wire 113 leading therefrom which in turn isconnected to the wire -110 leading to the reverse lockingimagnet 69. Secured to the wire 106 is a second wire 114 which leads to a contact point 115 in normal engagement with a relay member 116 and which in normal operation of the device is held in the position shown in the drawing (Figure 8)' so that all sections leading from the battery 97 tothe various locking coils are disconnected.

In the operation-of the device, when a car' wheel-passes out-over the track section X, a short circuit is established to the battery 85 which allows'the relay members 116 and 108 to drop establishing a Contact of member 108 with the member 109, thereby establish.

ing al circuit through the lockingmagnet'69 in the locking device and also in the loci;- ing magnet 38 which operates the valve attached to the cylinder 22. As the wheels continue to pass outward on the rails, the switch points 12 and 13 are pushed over until the switch is in open position and the locking bar 54 is moved longitudinally of the locking` .device 55 until the notch 62 is` under locking dog 59 and as the electric-current is passing through the magnet 69 the which allow; the locking locking dog 59 will be forced downward into the notch 62 and held thus securely locking the switch in open position and holding it aslong as the battery 85 is short circulted by the car wheelsfpassing over the rails 81 and 82. 'The notch 62 is beveled at each of its sides to allow the locking dog to disengage itself from the locking bar as force is applied to the locking bar.` The locking cylinder 22 is filled with oil and as shown in the drawing is in reversed locking position of the cylinder. As the switch points 12 and 13 are pushed into open position of the switch, the piston head 24 travels backward in the cylinder and the oil therein fiows through the passages 30 in the wall of the cylinder and through 'the ports 25 to the front portion of the' cylinder 22. vAs soon as the battery is short circuited, the locking magnet 40 is energized by a circuit bein established through wires 112 and113 an the closure member 45 is held in locked position by the magnet 40 so that the oil in the" cylinder and bypass passages .is preventedgo from returning through the vvalve 37 to the front of the cylinder, also locking the cylinder in open position of the switch until the entire-length ofthe train has passed fout of the switch vand the battery 85 is' short circuited.' Then the current is pasa .ing through therelay'coil 87 which, as long as this circuit is established, picks up-the .relay points 108 and 116, preventing contact between the members 108 and 4109 so that the magnets 69 and 38 are dta-energized p dog 59 to be thrown out of the notch 62 by the action of the coil spring 19 andgallowing the switch to return to normal position. the ycylinder is somewhat diiferent because as long as the magnet 40 is de-energized` the valveunember 45 and armature 39 is lifted by the pressure of the oil so that a slight amount of oil is forced from the front end of the Vcylinderfthrough the bypass around to the rear end' andthe `piston headoommences to Atravel toward the forward end of the cylinder. As soon as the rear end of the piston head reaches the beginning of the passages 30, the oil travels through vthese Lpassages very quickly t0 the rear end of the cylinder, but a suicient time must elapse.

no longer The action of Ilia ceeding in the opposite direction, that is,

against the switch points 12 and 13, the battery 93 is shortcircuited so that the relay coil 95 is de-energized and contact is established between the relay member 103 and the Contact 102. which results in the magnet 63 and locking device being energized so that the bolt 67 is brought down upon the top fof ai@ iaekingag 56 which in this position ofthe switch isjengaging the notch 62 and thus effectively locks the switch in closedposition, as'long as the battery 93 is short fcircuited by the wheels passing over the rails 89 and 90. .y

While I have described more or less precisely the details of construction, I do not wish 'to be understood as limiting myself l having ports therein,

. piston and thereto,A ash'l contemplate changes in form and the proportion of parts and the substitution of equivalents as circumstances may suggest or render expedient without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention.

Vhat is claimed is y l. A nlocking device for spring switches comprising in combination, a combined lockying and cushioning device attached thereto,

an electrical apparatus adapted to automatically control said locking and cushioning device.

2. A spring switch control mechanism comprising in combination a cylinder, a by pass connecting each end' of said cylinder, a

valve, controlling thefpassage of uid through said by pass, electrical means for controlling the said valve, a piston in said cylinder, and operative connections between said piston and said switch.

3. A spring switch control mechanism .comprising in combination a cylinder, a by pass connecting each end of said cylinder, avalve `controlling the passage of fluid vthrough said'by pass,'electrical means for a spring controlled valve adapted to control the passage of a fluid through said ports, said cylinder having a plurality of passages in the walls thereof whereby iiuid can iow from onel end of the cylinder to another, the said passages being closed when a piston is at its farthest point of travel at' one end of the cylinder.

5. Spring switch control mechanism comprising in combination a cylinder, a. piston head in said cylinder'connected to the switch points, a by pass pipe'around the said piston head, and electrical means operated by the passage of cars over the said switchpoints adapted to control ythe passage of fluid through the said by pass pipe.

6. Spring switch control mechanism comprising -in combination a cylinder, a' piston located insaid lcylinder connected to the switch points, a by pass pipe around the said piston, a valve in said by pass, and electrical means controlled by the passage of 'cars over the switch points adapted to`hold the said valve in closed position and allow the said valve to open after the cars have passed over the said switch points.

` 7. Spring switch control mechanism comprising in combination a cylinder, a by pass pipe conncting-the ends of said cylinder, a .Y

valve located in the said by pass pipe, av

magnet adapted to control the closing of the said valve and electrical connections to said valve adapted to retain the valve in closed position as .car wheels pass overrthe ,switchv points.

8. Spring switch control mechanism comprising in combination a cylinder having a fluid therein, a piston in said cylinder connected to said'switch points, a by pass pipe connected to the said cylinder on each side of the said piston, a valve in said by ass pipe, electrical control means adapte to hold said valve in closed position when a train passes over said switch points and allow said valve to open after the train has passed over the said switch points.

Signed at Joliet, Illinois, this 21st August, 1924.

FREDERICK C.

dayU of ernaar. 

